A Future of the Past
by Erin Giles
Summary: *CHAPTER 3 UP* It's all portals and alternative dimensions and stuff! But I dunno wanna spoil it for you! Please just R
1. Film Buff?

TITLE: A Future of the Past  
  
AUTHOR: Erin Giles  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
PAIRING: all the usual beginning of season five ones  
  
SPOLIER WARNING: Depends how you look at some of the news that's brought from others (It'll make sense to you when you read it)  
  
DISCLAIMER: It's not mine and it's not fair! It belongs to God (aka Joss)  
  
DISTRIBUTION: Please don't take it without asking! It isn't yours ok!  
  
SUMMARY: Portals are appearing everywhere, there's a gross population of Vampires and Demons and to top it all off one of Buffy's friend's is ill and she has to baby-sit her sister while her mom's out of town. Just a typical week for Buffy Summers then! That is until someone human comes through one of the portals and then things start to get really weird!  
  
NOTES: Riley's not mentioned in the story at all so lets just all assume that he's already gone (sorry guys but I don't like the man!)  
  
FEEDBACK: Yes please. flames are allowed as long as they're constructive ones!  
  
Dedicated to Lorna - You're my Buffy!  
  
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Chapter 1 ~ Film Buff?  
  
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Rupert Giles undid the top button of his shirt pulling his tie from round his neck as he sat staring at the kettle in the Magic Box, willing it to boil. He sunk down onto the bench opposite the small table where the kettle was sitting and rubbed at his clammy face. He hadn't been feeling well when he got up that morning and he wasn't feeling any better now.  
  
'Still,' he thought, 'that was maybe due to the fact I didn't get to bed until three this morning due to Buffy's discovery of a new demon while she had been out patrolling.'  
  
He was getting too old for staying up till the small hours of the morning and he knew it. The chances of him getting an early bed tonight were doubtful as well, and he doubted the supernatural forces would take a break just because he needed to go on sick leave for a couple of days. A cup of tea and everything would be right as rain. He very much doubted that though.  
  
He heard the bell above the door announce the presence of someone entering the shop as the kettle boiled simultaneously. He picked it up and poured himself a cup,  
  
"Hi Giles."  
  
"Dawn." He said rather gruffly, turning to smile at her as warmly as he could, clearing his throat before he continued,  
  
"Good day at school?" he asked placing the kettle back in its holder and leaving the teabag to stew in the cup for a moment,  
  
"Oh-my-god yes!" she said placing her bag on the table and pulling up a seat,  
  
"Scott Burns asked me to the dance on Friday and I wasn't sure at first and so I said maybe and I'd let him know and then I caught him asking Emily at lunch break. And I was so hurt - not that I liked him anyway, but yah know the fact that he asked her anyway 'cause she's a total slut." She made a face as Giles stirred his tea, raising his eyebrows at her. She didn't notice though,  
  
"Anyway I marched right up to him and told him how much of a loser he was in front of the whole basketball team and how he was taking ballet and he was a total laughing stock. This one is gonna last so long and it was just so funny. And oh! The icing on the cake was when I slapped him and told him to go with his slut. It was just - wow! You should have been there." She said staring at Giles, who was sipping at his tea by now, letting the whole story just wash right over him,  
  
"Yes, I'll make sure I book front row seats next time." He said sarcastically before glancing down at the book he had been reading a minute ago. She made a face at him,  
  
"The others not here yet?" she asked looking about hopefully. Giles shook his head as Anya thanked a customer for purchasing their supply of frog's eggs at the Magic box and to please come again,  
  
"Yes where are they? Xander should be here now watching me count the money getting him all hot and bothered so that -"  
  
"Buffy!" Dawn exclaimed a little too loudly as she entered the shop with Willow and Tara in tow, giggling and talking in hushed whispers. She jumped up from her seat,  
  
"Were we talking about me?" she asked coming down the steps and looking at Giles, who was still sipping at his tea,  
  
"No, Anya was just talking about her and Xander and how -"  
  
"Yes thank you Dawn." Giles said looking up at her over his glasses. He sighed setting the cup down on the table and removed his glasses, rubbing at his temples. He felt a headache coming on,  
  
"So what are we doing tonight? Movie-thon?" Dawn asked watching her sister hopefully,  
  
"'Cause Mom's left a bunch of food, including non-healthy food like ice- cream and cookie dough."  
  
"Yes," Buffy said nodding emphatically,  
  
"And you guys are all invited too. Big film and food fest." She yawned sitting down at the table opposite Giles,  
  
"Pre-patrol though." She added looking at her Watcher. He didn't seem to notice though. He looked preoccupied with his books, Buffy thought. Even if his eyes were closed,  
  
"So Giles find out who's butt I kicked into a bloody pulp last night and if I have to do anymore bloody pulp beating?" she asked casting a glance over the books on the table as Willow and Tara snuggled up beside each other on the other bench,  
  
"Giles?"  
  
"Hmmm?" he raised his head, opening his eyes as he searched for the voice that had said his name, replacing his glasses,  
  
"Demon, you know - dead demon? Should I worry or break out the bubbly?"  
  
"Yes well, I spent quite a number of hours researching your demon and it seems that it's extinct."  
  
"Well it is now." Buffy quipped,  
  
"No Buffy, before that." He ran his finger down the page in front of him flipping back a page,  
  
"Here." He said passing the book over to her and picking up the cup to drink,  
  
"Giles. Latin. Lack of knowledge in that language." She said looking up at him helplessly,  
  
"Yes, sorry. Well it says that the last clan of Kulich demons was destroyed a couple of centuries ago by a slayer called - Mariana, if I'm not mistaken - so technically there shouldn't be any left." Giles took another drink of the tea, his throat feeling like sandpaper as he drank it,  
  
"I've checked and double checked for some sort of explanation but - well I can't seem to find one." He said taking the book back from Buffy and closing it,  
  
"So should I worry about more popping up? Or the one I already slayed coming back from the dead? Or getting demon traits or anything?" she asked looking at him warily,  
  
"No. No I shouldn't think so."  
  
"But didn't you say they have clan thingies or something." Dawn pointed out. Giles looked up at her, confused for a moment,  
  
"Yes well, they're supposed to be extinct so I shouldn't think you'd have - uh - have anymore trouble." He rubbed at the back of his neck as Anya went to put the closed sign on the door,  
  
"Good. So quick patrol and then we'll meet at my place at eight." She said standing up and taking her bag,  
  
"Giles you'll come right?"  
  
"What? Oh - I don't think so Buffy. Thank you for the offer all the same." He said politely, starting to put the books away,  
  
"If you're sure," she said downhearted for a moment,  
  
"Will? You and Tara will take Dawn to the video store right?"  
  
"Sure." Willow said standing up with Tara, their hands still intertwined, as they followed Buffy to the door,  
  
"Giles? You're not coming?" Dawn said hanging back at the table, looking at him hopeful. He turned away from the bookshelf to meet the hurt expression on Dawn's face. He moved towards her,  
  
"I'm sorry Dawn but I need to sort out the books for the shop." He watched her for a moment before placing a hand on her shoulder,  
  
"I promise you if I get done early I'll come over." A smile broke out on the teenage girl's face,  
  
"Deal?" she said looking at him sternly,  
  
"Deal." She smiled again and turned to leave the store,  
  
"Whoa there cowgirl." Xander said banging into Dawn,  
  
"Sorry Xand I'll see you later. We're off for videos." She said dashing out the shop,  
  
"Apocalypse now!" he called after her, closing the door and moving towards Anya, enfolding her in his arms before kissing her passionately.  
  
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Giles coughed as he pulled his jacket on around him. He glanced at his watch as he picked up the books. It was only quarter to seven,  
  
"Anya will you lock up?" he said taking his car keys out his pocket,  
  
"I thought you told Dawn that you were doing the books."  
  
"I am." He said impatiently,  
  
"I'm going to take them home and do them though. I'll see you in the morning." He said tiredly, moving towards the stairs,  
  
"You're not coming tonight G-man?" Giles rolled his eyes, too tired to comment on Xander's name for him,  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you but no. I'll see both of you in the morning."  
  
"Bye Giles." They said in unison as he left the shop.  
  
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"Ten evil vampires standing in a row, ten evil vampires standing in a row and if one evil vampire is dusted by me. They'll be nine evil vampires standing in a row." Buffy scrunched up her face as she continued on through the graveyard deciding that it didn't quite rhyme and also was definitely not true. She yawned loudly as she walked round a tomb with the name Alpert above it, now one of the more familiar ones in Restfield cemetery.  
  
'Wonder what films Dawn's picking out? Hope Xander's not in on the choosing of films. It'll be all army this and army that.' She thought as she continued to walk, her head up in the clouds and not focused of the small pinprick of light that was appearing before her,  
  
'Is there two of four packs of popcorn in the cupboard? Maybe I should stop off at the store and get some on the way back. Xander and Dawn will eat a packet each. Giles isn't coming though. He didn't look too good. Maybe -' Her thoughts evaded her as her eyes widened at the shimmering hue of purple in front of her. Her feet took a couple of steps back as she watched it grow larger and larger,  
  
'Oh uh.' She thought, as something seemed to shimmer in the middle of it before taking form and bowling itself through the light and landing at her feet. It was another one of those demons that she had slain last night,  
  
"No more of you Giles said!" as she looked down at it for a moment, but the portal caught her attention again as it started to shine brightly, blinding her for a moment before it disappeared into nothing,  
  
"What the -?" she was cut off as the demon suddenly found its feet, swiping Buffy's from beneath her. She crumpled to the ground, righting herself quickly, the large glowy thing forgotten at the moment as she went into slayer mode.  
  
A roundhouse kick to the head. A punch to the abdomen. It retaliated with a blow to her head, sending her sprawling. She ducked another blow as she righted herself continuing to make easy work of the demon. After fighting one the previous night she could anticipate its every move.  
  
Buffy made a quick sharp movement which made a sickening, crunching sound and the demon dropped to the floor, its neck broken. She stared at it for a couple of minutes before frowning,  
  
"Can't you guys go poof?" she asked the dead body before she suddenly remembered where it had come from. She turned to stare at the space where the demon had appeared from, but there was no sign that there had been a large glowing door that spat out demons anymore. She sighed,  
  
"Now I know how Mulder and Scully feel when their evidence disappears on them." She muttered to herself before picking up the body of the demon and dragging it to the nearest tomb before stopping a horrifying thought crossing her mind,  
  
'Please say they've not rented films with demon's and vampires.' She hoped silently.  
  
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Giles collapsed on the sofa in an undignified heap. He pulled his shoes off without even attempting to undo the laces and left them lying on the floor. He would tidy them away tomorrow, he thought as he yawned loudly. He pulled his jacket from his back and threw it on the table, the tie following moments later. He watched the jacket slipping on the polished surface, but made no gesture to catch it as if fell to the floor.  
  
He rubbed at his eyes as he got up off the sofa and went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. He stopped as his hand rested on the kettle though. He didn't really want anything but his bed at the moment.  
  
The books would wait. They would have to. Anya would be annoyed, but at the moment Giles didn't really care.  
  
He moved out of the kitchen and padded up the stairs to his bedroom. He threw his shirt and trousers over the nearest chair and pulled a t-shirt over his head. He tugged at the covers to pull them away from the mattress, his strength failing him as he did so. He felt so frustrated, but eventually they came loose, allowing him the comfort of his own bed.  
  
He shivered as he lay between the sheets. They were so cold. Even though his head was roasting he felt as if he would freeze to death. He blinked a couple of times and realised he still had his glasses on. He removed them, placing them beside the bed before curling up into himself again as he listened to his heart throbbing loudly in his head. He swallowed painfully as he pulled the covers closer. His eyes closed again, the light from down below illuminating his face. He couldn't be bothered going downstairs to switch the lights off though; they would stay on until tomorrow.  
  
Waste of energy he thought, but his own energy was more important at the moment. He wondered how Buffy had gone on patrolling, his last thought before he drifted off to sleep.  
  
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"We've got chocolate, vanilla, chocolate and vanilla - um -"  
  
"Wait, wait. Back up here! You're saying you can get two different kinds of ice cream in the one ice-cream?"  
  
"Uh huh -" Dawn said pulling all three tubes out of the freezer and handing them to Xander who stared at them dumbfounded,  
  
"And how have I not made this discovery before?" he asked placing them down on the work surface,  
  
"'Cause you've yet to get a mom who doesn't order Chinese every night of the week." Dawn commented, pulling a couple of bowls from the cupboard as the microwave starting beeping,  
  
"Will, you're corn has popped all it can." Xander called still staring at the chocolate and vanilla ice cream,  
  
"So why did you buy separate vanilla and chocolate if you can get them both together?" he asked as Dawn started to scoop it into a bowl,  
  
"'Cause sometimes Buffy gets annoyed when there's not just chocolate on it's own. She gets moody about that." She said licking her fingers and handing the scoop to Xander as the front door opened,  
  
"I'm home." Buffy called from the hall before moving into the living room where Tara and Anya were already seated next to each other on the couch, thumb wrestling,  
  
"Party start without me?" she inquired, pulling her jacket off,  
  
"Gathering of the food." Tara said gesturing in the direction of the kitchen as Dawn appeared out of the door,  
  
"Hmmm Muffy." She said, a mouth full of ice cream. Buffy smiled at her little sister as she sat on the floor and crossed her legs with her bowl of ice cream,  
  
"Hey Buff, anything abnormally normal on your walkabout?" Xander asked appearing with two bowls of ice cream, one of which he handed to Anya,  
  
"Yeah actually." She said perching on the arm of the sofa,  
  
"I met another one of those Kul-something-or-other demons that Giles said I wouldn't see again. But the weird thing was -"  
  
"Giles was wrong?" Anya asked looking at her curiously,  
  
"No. Ok - well that's weird in itself - but no." she shook her head, getting back on track,  
  
"What was weird was where it came from. There was like this shimmery golden purple thing that was actually really pretty, and then it just appeared from it, like someone had thrown it or something. Nothing followed it though and then before I could blink it just disappeared into nothing. I stayed there a while after but it didn't reappear or anything." She said, her brow crumpled in confusion looking round at her friends, trying to search for an explanation that no one had,  
  
"We can tell Giles if he turns up."  
  
"He didn't call to say if he'd make it or not." Willow shook her head before sitting down next to Tara with her bowl of popcorn,  
  
"He might be here by the second film." Dawn said hopeful as Xander put the first film in the video player. Buffy settled herself in a chair, pulling her shoes off her tired feet,  
  
"Okay guys please tell me that there's no vampires or demons in this film. And also Xander didn't get a say in it?"  
  
"I had no say and no one would get Apocalypse Now for me. And when you say demons - do aliens count?" 


	2. I know you!

TITLE: A Future of the Past  
  
DISCLAIMER: It's not mine and it's not fair! It belongs to God (aka Joss)  
  
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Chapter 2 ~ I know you.  
  
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"Banana"  
  
"Hammock."  
  
"What?" Xander asked looking at his best friend, who was smiling back at him.  
  
"Since when did banana's and hammocks relate?"  
  
"Xander it's the random thought game."  
  
"Yeah I know, but that is probably the weirdest answer I have heard," he said still looking puzzled, as Buffy and Dawn sauntered into the Magic Box,  
  
"Hey Buff. What would you say if I said banana?"  
  
"Um -" Buffy pondered as she seated herself on the bench opposite her two friends, beside Tara, looking somewhat bemused by the question,  
  
"Monkey?" she said, shrugging her shoulders,  
  
"See, sensible. Dawn?" Dawn stifled a yawn as she turned to look at Xander,  
  
"Bed. But then that's 'cause it's Saturday morning and where any normal teenager would be at the moment if it weren't for their sister!" she said glaring at Buffy, putting the emphasis on the word sister. Buffy chose to ignore her as she searched the shop,  
  
"Where's Mr. Bright and Breezy?"  
  
"Not here." Xander said turning back to the construction site schedule he was working on. Buffy frowned, looking at her watch. It was nearly midday,  
  
"But it's late and Giles counts tardiness as the ninth deadly sin."  
  
"He was supposed to open up the store this morning and he wasn't here. He's cost us valuable money." Anya said, annoyance in her voice as she continued to sort out the candles on the rack before the door opened the reveal a customer. Anya quickly left the candles behind to go to the young woman, the words, 'Can I help you?' drifting across the shop,  
  
"He'll turn up Buff." Xander said rolling up the pieces of paper and taking them in one hand,  
  
"He's probably fallen asleep on a book and not heard his alarm." He said bringing himself to his feet,  
  
"But while other's sleep away Saturday morning's on comfy books, some of us have work to go to." He said moving away from the small group, ruffling Dawn's hair.  
  
"I'll see you later." He said to the assembled party, blowing a not-so- secret kiss to Anya, who was still attending to the customer, before leaving the shop. Buffy stood up feeling restless, going to one of the bookshelves.  
  
"Buffy?" Willow asked, tearing her eyes away from the laptop in front of her,  
  
"Yeah?" she asked struggling under the weight of several books before she plonked them on the table,  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Research. I can make Giles proud by finding out what the weird glowy thing is before him." She said seating herself down on the bench and picking up the nearest book,  
  
"So should I look under 'weird', 'glowy', or 'thing'?" she asked looking at Willow helplessly,  
  
"Sorry I'm late." The familiar voice came from the steps as the Watcher descended them. If it was possible, Buffy thought he looked worse than he did yesterday. He had large bags under his eyes, and his face seemed shiny, as if he had a fever or something. He wasn't dressed in his usual attire of a smart suit, pressed shirt and tie. Instead he wore jeans and a jumper that looked as though it would have fitted Santa Clause,  
  
"My - uh - my alarm didn't go off." Giles said seating himself on the edge of the bench, taking his glasses off to rub the bridge of his nose. He noticed the books on the table, and his features frowned, as if he was trying to remember something,  
  
"What are we researching?" he asked looking up at the assembled company,  
  
"We're not." Dawn informed him,  
  
"Then we're emptying the shelves of books why?"  
  
"We're not. I just thought that I would start and look for whatever it was I saw last night without you. Seen as you weren't in."  
  
"Sorry." He mumbled again before Buffy continued,  
  
"No it's ok I just - Last night there was a weird glowy thing and -"  
  
"She wasn't to sure what to look up. I mean there are thousands of books on things and lots on weird, but not so many on - ow!" Dawn exclaimed as her sister kicked her under the table,  
  
"Another one of our demons came out of it. It's dead now but I wanna know what the weird glowy -"  
  
"Portals." Giles said interrupting her, before expanding as confused faces stared at him,  
  
"Well one would presume that's what it is. If you saw something come out of it. And we've already established that these - uh - demons became extinct a while ago, so I would presume that this portal leads to somewhere that's - uh -" he rubbed at his head as he continued to frown,  
  
"Where Giles?" Buffy said casting a glance over her Watcher, concerned for his well being,  
  
"Well it could be any number of places. The past; the future; another dimension; a parallel universe, any number of possibilities. But I think the more pressing matter Buffy, is to close the portal."  
  
"It's already closed. It just disappeared after the demon came through." Giles frowned, completely confused now,  
  
"I'm not sure -" he got up off the bench quite stiffly and crossed to the shelf, picking one of the books off of it and flicking through it,  
  
"From what I've heard of portals, they never close automatically. They need some kind of binding spell."  
  
"Oh Tara and me could help with that." Willow suddenly said, brightening,  
  
"Yes, that would be - uh - yes." Giles said absentmindedly,  
  
"Maybe we should go out on patrol tonight and you can show me where the portal appeared.  
  
"Meanwhile I think we should find out what we can about portals. Willow would you like to see what a web search brings up,  
  
"I'm sure there's some other books on -" as Giles turned round he reached out for the shelf to steady himself as the room spun. He knew the moment he had pulled himself out of bed over an hour ago he shouldn't have,  
  
"Giles?" Buffy asked standing up and moving towards the Watcher, who was supporting himself on the shelf,  
  
"I'm fine Buffy." He said turning his attention back to the book, realizing that the words were swimming on the page.  
  
"Giles you lost us money!" Anya proclaimed, after finally finishing with the customer. Giles sighed as he turned towards Anya.  
  
'Definitely shouldn't have bothered getting out of bed this morning'  
  
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Spike collapsed in his armchair as he lit another cigarette. He didn't know what time he had been kicked out of Willie's place the night before, he only remembered waking up in the sewers with a splitting headache. Now after a good twenty minutes of navigating the twists and turns - and dead ends - of the miles of sewers under Sunnydale, he was home.  
  
It was nearing to sundown again and Spike didn't know what he planned to do tonight. Or maybe he did?  
  
He remembered why he had gone to Willie's in the first place. He was supposed to find what was up with the new vampires and demons and that were appearing out of nowhere.  
  
A smile played on the vampire's lips as he took a long drag of his fag, waiting for the sun to set. He was going to have fun with the Slayer and her little Scooby gang tonight. What tales he had to tell. In fact, he quite fancied this new world.  
  
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Tara's hand found Willow's easily as they entered the morbid confines of Restfield cemetery. Tara had gotten used to the idea of hanging out in morgues, cemeteries and Magic Shops since she had met Willow. She didn't mind though, it meant she got to spend time with her Willow.  
  
A smile spread across her face at the words, 'Her Willow,' causing her to move closer to Willow as a chill passed through her,  
  
"Cold baby?" Willow asked as they trailed behind Buffy and Giles. Tara nodded, pulling her jacket round her more, but not doing anything more on the matter,  
  
"Is Mr. Giles alright?" Tara asked as she watched him stumbled to catch up with Buffy. Willow followed her gaze to the Englishman,  
  
"I don't know," she said truthfully,  
  
"He didn't look too good today though."  
  
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"Giles I told you that you shouldn't have come." Buffy said, watching Giles as he stumbled yet again,  
  
"Buffy there is no way that you giving me details such as 'weird glowy thing' is going to determine that this, 'Thing' is a portal. Even if it is a portal we must determine where it leads to and how to close it."  
  
"Here!" Buffy said stopping abruptly, which caused Giles to slam into the back of her. She swayed, but not as much as Giles. She turned just in time to stop him collapsing to the ground,  
  
"Giles you're ill." She said in protest as she helped him to perch on the nearest headstone,  
  
"Let me take you home? Please?" Giles shook his head as Willow and Tara came up behind the two,  
  
"This the spot?" Willow asked tentatively, watching Buffy,  
  
"Yeah, this is it. But I need to take Giles -"  
  
"You will do nothing of the sort." Giles said, bringing himself to his feet. Buffy's eyes passed over her mentor. His eyes were sunk deep inside his head, large bags under them. His face was pale, with a sheen to it that made it shimmer in the moonlight. He probably had a fever Buffy thought, but she knew he was stubborn and would not leave unless she carried his unconscious body or he saw the portal with his own two eyes. She wished for the latter though, even though she was a slayer the large built Watcher was still a little too much for her to carry,  
  
"Evenin' all." The annoying English voice crept out the shadows, followed by the annoyance that was William the bloody,  
  
"What do you want Spike?" Buffy asked, sighing as she turned on the blond vampire. Spike pulled a packet of fags out of his coat pocket and lit up,  
  
"No way to treat a fellow comrade in arms. But seen as you mention it I might be wanting something."  
  
"Spike we're not in the mood for your games tonight." Giles said, leaning against a gravestone, taking strength from it,  
  
"Not in the mood for much are we Watcher. Looks like you need some nurse- maiding." Spike said, a grin on his face as his looked at the petite blond. Buffy's eyes narrowed,  
  
"Either you'll go away and leave us alone or you can become more acquainted with my stake." She said taking a step towards him, pulling out her stake for effect,  
  
"Never get any information out of me if I'm dead Slayer." He said taking a long drag of his cigarette,  
  
"What do you know?" Giles asked, moving forward towards the vampire, wobbling on his feet,  
  
"Very authoritative with the swaying and all." He said sniffing,  
  
"And a lot more than you do by looks of it. More importantly what you going to pay me?"  
  
"Spike either tell us or -" Buffy broke off as the that same speck of light appeared behind Spike, the same way it had the night before,  
  
"Or what Slayer? You need me." He said pointing at her,  
  
"You need me to get you information and the like. Without me you wouldn't know -" Spike was cut off as two forms barreled into him from the portal,  
  
"Thank God for that." Buffy quipped, before she watched another two forms come through. The first two had been Kulich demons, and the second two were obviously vampires. They were quick on their feet as well, going for Buffy before she even moved. One of the demons went for Giles, while the second vampire went for the two witches; while the second demon busied itself with the still floored Spike.  
  
There was one thing Buffy disliked about going patrolling with her friends, and that was the fact she had to look out for them while looking out for herself. As she spun the vampire away she caught sight of another two coming through the still open portal,  
  
"Willow!" she called, turning to find Tara and Willow trying to fight of one of the vampires. She staked the vampire she had been fighting before moving towards them both.  
  
"Bloody hell!" Spike said, pulling himself to his feet again, and stepping out the way as another two vamps came through the portal,  
  
"Alright ma-" he was cut off again as the vampire swung at him,  
  
"Hey! I'm on your side mate!" he said as the vampire tried to hit him again,  
  
"You're a liar Spike! You haven't been on our side since you got that soul!" it retorted before striking out at the stunned Spike. He fell to the floor, spitting grass,  
  
"Soul?" he whispered, to no one but himself, as he felt himself being picked up.  
  
Buffy shifted her weight again as the vampire took another swing at her, a second coming to join the brawl,  
  
"Guys, hurry up before anymore appear." Willow and Tara sat crossed legged on the floor, holding hands before they proceeded to chant. The second vampire tried to kick her and she caught his foot mid-air, flipping him,  
  
"That all you got?" she mocked as the vamp stared up at her in horror,  
  
"Slayer? You're dead." Buffy stood stunned for a moment,  
  
"Dead?"  
  
Giles ducked a blow from the demon, hearing its fist crack into the side of the mausoleum. He was too slow, and his spinning head was making him slower. The demon grabbed him by the neck and arm, pinning him against the crypt for a moment, it's claws ripping into his arm, drawing blood, before tossing him aside like a rag doll.  
  
He groaned as he landed painfully on the ground, before he watched another figure come through the portal, going into a roll before coming back up on their feet. She went for the demon that was coming at him again, fighting it with the air of a Slayer, her long brown her flowing behind her, her tatty jeans showing her skint knees. Her motions were fluid as she brandished a sword, swinging it at the demons head, decapitating it before the demon even had time to blink.  
  
Giles heard chanting behind, mingled with sounds of a dusting vampire as he watched the portal retreat on itself from his position on the ground. The last vampire came at him, before stopping short, staring at Giles in confusion,  
  
"Boss?" it asked before the girl that had saved him plunged a stake into it's back. She then came towards him, kneeling beside him,  
  
"Are you -" she broke off half way through her sentence, the soft English accent disappearing. She pulled back away from him, obviously shocked by what she saw.  
  
'But what was the girl seeing?' Giles wondered. She shook her head before scrambling to her feet,  
  
"You're dead." She said, panic in her voice before running away from him into the night.  
  
Spike saw the girl run and followed her, his duster flapping behind him before disappearing into the night as well. There was silence amongst the group as Willow and Tara tried to find their bearings again and Buffy stood wondering if what she had heard was true. Giles broke the silence coughing painfully as he tried to pull himself into a standing position. Buffy dropped her stake and went to her Watcher,  
  
"Will you let me take you home now?" 


	3. Watch Me

TITLE: A Future of the Past  
  
DISCLAIMER: It's not mine and it's not fair! It belongs to God (aka Joss)  
  
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Chapter 3 ~ Watch me  
  
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"I win!"  
  
"Ugh - Again?" Dawn asked staring at Anya, somehow sure that the game was fixed,  
  
"You have to be cheating?" She said standing up and stretching,  
  
"How can you cheat - at - at -" she looked at Xander for some kind of information as to what the game was called,  
  
"Jenga." He said nodding at his girlfriend,  
  
"At Jenga! I'm just good at this is all!" Anya said smiling gleefully before starting to stack the pieces again.  
  
"Shall we play again?"  
  
"Who wants a drink?" Dawn asked moving away to the kitchen,  
  
"I'll help you with that." Xander said following her lead,  
  
"I'll set up another game then." Anya called after them.  
  
"God no." Dawn sobbed as she pulled a bottle of juice out the fridge,  
  
"It'll be alright. Buff'll be back soon."  
  
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Buffy pulled her Watcher to his feet awkwardly, holding him steady as he swayed heavily on his feet. She watched him rub at the back of his neck as they started to move towards Willow and Tara who were bringing themselves to their feet,  
  
"Well done you two." Giles said, his words slurring. Willow looked up beaming, but her smile faded as her eyes fell on Giles,  
  
"Giles you look awful." She said as she watched him sway, but Buffy was there, grabbing at his arm causing him to immediately recoil, hissing through his teeth. Buffy apologised as she sat him on a nearby bench. Willow turned for a moment to help her girlfriend to her feet before they both moved to stand over Buffy and Giles seated on the bench.  
  
"Buffy I'm just tired is all. I haven't been sleeping well lately." Buffy didn't care about the words that were coming out of Giles mouth; she was more interested in his arm, which looked like it had been put through a shredder,  
  
"Hospital first, then home." She said putting her arm round him and pulling him to his feet again. Willow's eyes watched Giles in concern as a bruise started to appear above his right eye where he had been thrown to the ground.  
  
"Buffy I'm perfectly able to stand on my own two feet."  
  
"Oh really?" Buffy asked sarcastically, moving away from him. She watched him for a moment as he swayed violently, descending into a fit of coughs. She caught him before he hit the deck,  
  
"How you planning on getting to the hospital now Giles? You gonna crawl there?" she said a harshness in her voice. He didn't reply, only looking at her, defeat in his eyes.  
  
"Sorry." She mumbled, before turning to Willow and Tara,  
  
"Go home and call Xander. Tell him to come to the hospital." She said before moving off, her Watcher draped over her as he started to cough again. He stopped her though,  
  
"Buffy -" his voice was hoarse and rasping,  
  
"Buffy there was a girl. She came through the portal. She -" she hushed him as they continued to head towards the opposite graveyard entrance from the one they had come in,  
  
"Spike's gone after her."  
  
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"Oi!" Spike called as he continued to chase the girl down the alley, hoping she would turn left into the dead end, but he had already found that she knew the streets of Sunnydale pretty well,  
  
"I want answers!" he called as he watched her disappear round the corner. He turned a moment later only to discover the girl had disappeared. He stopped running, panting heavily, and leaning on his knees for a moment,  
  
"Blood-" he was cut off as someone jumped him from behind, knocking him to the ground in the alley. She flipped him and he was face to face with the girl he had been chasing,  
  
"Spike!" she said in surprise, getting off him and pulling him to his feet,  
  
"I thought you were him." She said apologetically. Spike looked at the girl confused,  
  
"How do you know me love, when I don't know you?" the girl watched him confusion in her eyes,  
  
"You don't know me?" she asked, her voice wavering,  
  
"Sorry love. All I know is you came through a portal along with them demons who told me I had a soul, when all's I got is this bloody chip in me head." He said pointing a finger at his head,  
  
"Which by the way love I would really like some answers about."  
  
"Portal? You mean I'm not - what year is this?" she asked looking him in the eyes,  
  
"Millennium. Year 2000. What the hell's that got to do with my answers?"  
  
"It's 2000. I'm from 2000. I came through a portal. You don't have a soul here. Buffy, she's not dead right?"  
  
"Slayer? Nope she's still alive and kicking." The girl nodded, before continuing to think,  
  
"Xander and Will still in Sunnydale? Dawn - she's still here? Oz? Angelus?" Spike didn't know what to say to the poor kid,  
  
"Things not like this in your world?" the girl shook her head,  
  
"Giles? He's not - he's -" the girl couldn't seem to get a sentence out,  
  
"Old Watcher's still alive too. Although he's getting a bit old and rough around the edges." Spike paused watching her for a moment, as she looked about her feet with a scared, hungry look.  
  
"Mind telling me your name and life story seen as you know a hell of a lot 'bout me?" the girl looked up at him, a sense of confusion about her,  
  
"Erin." She said after a moment,  
  
"I'm - I live here, other here though." She paused as she watched the wall behind Spike for a moment, before she brought her eyes to look at his,  
  
"I don't exist here do I?" she asked the blond vampire. He was taken aback by the question and didn't know quite what to say that would make her happy so he stayed quiet.  
  
"This - everything sucks because of me." Her knees gave out as the shock sunk in. She started to breath shallowly,  
  
"I - he could still be alive. Everything could be - you could be happy - all of it." This girl Erin wasn't making sense to Spike anymore. He knelt beside the girl, eyes now dashing about the alley wildly,  
  
"Oh God." She hissed through clenched teeth, as she suddenly stopped breathing, after hyperventilating for so long. Spike put a hand on her shoulder,  
  
"Bloody hell love, breathe. You'll pass -" she collapsed on the floor of the alley,  
  
"Out." Spike sighed heavily, watching the somehow familiar girl. Maybe she did exist in this world, but her world was obviously a lot worse than this place. He thought it best to take the girl to the Scoobies. As much as he hated the Slayer and her little band, he still wasn't willing to leave the girl lying in the streets for any hungry vamp to come along and take as a snack. He felt sorry for her, cast into a world she didn't know that somehow seemed a whole lot better than hers by the sound of it,  
  
"Poor kid." He mumbled under his breath as he lifted her up in his arms. She was a kid he supposed; I mean she didn't seem any older than Dawn. He shifted her weight in his arms as he headed down another alley, keeping to the shadows as he made his way to the Slayer's house.  
  
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Buffy put her Watcher down in one of the waiting room seats before she went to the desk. The ER seemed quiet for a Saturday night in Sunnydale she thought as she gave the nurse Giles name and details. The nurse had a knowing smile on her face as she typed away at the computer,  
  
"Someone should be with you soon Miss Summers." Buffy smiled at the nurse, sure she recognized her before seating herself next to Giles who seemed to be dozing, his right arm hung limply at his side. Her and Giles had become well known at Sunnydale General by now, it seemed they knew almost all of the nursing staff and doctors, especially the ones who were on night shift. Buffy carefully lifted Giles arm up from where it was dangling beside him and pulled his jumper tighter over the gapping wounds, afraid that if they left them out here much longer he would bleed to death.  
  
"Mr. Giles?" Buffy looked up swiftly at the familiar face; her hands still wrapped round Giles arm. She smiled nervously at Dr. Wells before turning to look at Giles. His eyes were still closed and Buffy was going to nudge him but Joanna was there first,  
  
"Rupert?" she asked placing a hand on his shoulder. His eyes opened suddenly, searching for the owner of the voice and finding it in front of him, the familiar figure of his doctor smiling warmly at him. They both helped him to his feet, Buffy placing an arm round him as Dr. Wells lead them down the corridor and into a cubical. Buffy helped him onto the bed and moved away, knowing the doctor needed room to work,  
  
"If you'd wait outside please Miss. Summers?" Buffy nodded nervously casting a wary glance at Giles before retreating out the cubical. She hesitated as the curtain was pulled back over, and soon decided it wasn't her place to hear the conversation, moving down the corridor to the coffee machine.  
  
Dr. Wells parted the shredded sleeve of his jumper, inspecting his arm and the deep gouges that had been taken out of it,  
  
"You'll need quite a few stitches." She said under her breath, but Giles did not reply, his eyes had closed again. Her brow crumpled as she watched the man that had become her most frequent patient. She placed his arm back on the gurney, which caused him to frown, groaning in pain. He opened his eyes to meet that of the doctors.  
  
"You'll need some stitches Rupert." She repeated as her eyes fell on the forming bruise on his temple,  
  
"Been hitting things with your head again?" she asked, a faint smile on her face, before inspecting is head.  
  
"The ground." He mumbled under his breath,  
  
"Headache?"  
  
"Yes." He said answered faintly, as if he was ashamed of it,  
  
"I don't think you've done any serious damage to your head this time." She said watching him swallow painfully, before asking him to open his mouth. After several 'ahs' and blinking of torches in eyes, and asking of many more questions she started to write on his chart,  
  
"I'll get someone to come stitch your arm up. But I want you to take it easy for the next couple of weeks. You've been ill for a day or so yes?" she watched as he nodded in resignation,  
  
"My guess is, knowing you, you haven't been off of work either. I suggest you take some time off. Unless of course you want to be taking up residence with us for a week? You've got the flu and if you don't take it easy you'll get pneumonia." She moved towards the curtain, pulling it back,  
  
"Let Miss. Summers take care of you of you for a while instead of the other way round." And with that she left Giles alone. He tried to dwell on that thought of Buffy taking care of him, but the effort was too great and he found himself slipping into sleep.  
  
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Xander pulled the car up outside Sunnydale General, parking it not far from the door. Willow and Tara had returned to the house without any sign of Buffy, telling him he needed to go to the hospital. Anya had insisted coming along, even though she was involved in another game of Jenga with Dawn. Dawn had wanted to come too, but Will had stepped in.  
  
Apparently it wasn't that serious, but Xander could see the worry and fear in her best friend's eyes. He wrapped a comforting arm around Anya as they entered the ER department. Xander's eyes immediately fell on the petite blond stood next the coffee machine, kicking it absentmindedly,  
  
"Buff?" he asked, pulling away from Anya and going to her,  
  
"Hey." She said looking up at them both, giving Anya a warm smile,  
  
"Is he alright?" Buffy shrugged,  
  
"The doctor's in with him at the moment." Xander nodded, relaxing slightly. Buffy didn't seem worried, so he saw no reason to worry.  
  
Buffy was terrified though. Every time she brought him into the hospital she was scared she was going to lose him, scared she had got him killed, scared that he had done permanent damage. She hated the feeling of dread and guilt she got every time she set foot in a hospital with Giles. Every time she realized just how much she needed him, and just how big a gap it would leave in her life if she lost him,  
  
"Miss Summers?" Buffy looked up from her sneakers, her eyes meeting with Dr. Wells, as she was torn from her morbid thoughts,  
  
"Is he alright?" she asked, leaning off of the coffee machine,  
  
"Can I have a word?" The doctor asked, shifting her weight to point down the corridor, gesturing for Buffy to follow her.  
  
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Willow moved out of Tara's hold, getting up off the couch, as there was a knock at the door. Dawn looked up from her place on the floor at Will, a hope in her eyes that Willow would hate to dash if it weren't Buffy. A second knock came as she pulled the door open, revealing Spike with a girl in his arms. Willow automatically stepped back a pace as she came face to face with the vampire,  
  
"Spike!"  
  
"Got a present for the Slayer." He said nodding at the unconscious form of the girl in his arms,  
  
"Who is she?" Willow asked as Dawn came to the door,  
  
"She came through that portal you closed." He said stepping into the house,  
  
"Put her on the couch." Willow said, closing the door behind the vampire. Spike placed the unconscious form of Erin on the couch that Tara had just vacated,  
  
"Is she alright?"  
  
"Should be. Girl forgot to breathe is all." He said chuckling slightly,  
  
"She's from a messed up form of our world though. She were panicking a bit when she realized things weren't so messed up here."  
  
"Not me vampire world?" Willow asked desperately, but all Spike did was shrug,  
  
"Slayer's dead. Watcher's dead. You, bit and Xander have flitted according to 'er. She mentioned Oz and that wanker Angelus." The name Angelus coming out as a bitter twisted sound. Willow frowned,  
  
"Not me vampire world. But it sounds just as bad." She mumbled under her breath.  
  
"What do we do with her?" Dawn eventually asked,  
  
"Not my problem bit," Spike said sniffing, moving towards the door,  
  
"Give the Slayer my best and I hope you get the kid home." He said before leaving the house,  
  
"Spike, wait!" Willow called going to the door, but he was already gone,  
  
"How do we get her home?" she asked to the silence.  
  
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"That's you." The nurse said, tucking the last part of the bandage in making it secure. She pulled the gloves off and put them on the tray beside the bed before helping Giles to his feet,  
  
"I don't want to see you in here again." She said as she pulled back the curtain. She suddenly realized she was being a bit unreasonable,  
  
"At least not for a while." Giles smiled faintly,  
  
"I'll try my best Molly." He said heading off down the corridor after the nurse,  
  
"You know your best isn't good enough." She said smiling mischievously, before going into the nurse station. He lent against the desk there for a moment, unaware of the small group moving towards him.  
  
"G-man!" Xander exclaimed coming closer,  
  
"Xander I thought I asked -" he was cut off as Buffy flung her arms round him. He grunted and she pulled back,  
  
"Sorry - Oh God sorry."  
  
"Buffy I'm fine." He said looking down at her, as she tried to hide her bloodshot eyes,  
  
"Buffy." He said so softly that it caused her to turn her eyes upwards towards him. He placed a hand on her shoulder,  
  
"I'll be fine." He watched her for a moment scared she would burst into tears again, but also wondering what had brought her tears on,  
  
"There you are Mr. Giles."  
  
"Thank you Molly." Giles said taking the painkillers from her and pocketing them,  
  
"I'll see you soon no doubt?" she asked as she hurried off down another corridor, her pager beeping,  
  
"No doubt." He mumbled under his breath as he stifled a yawn.  
  
"Come on lets get you home." Xander said moving away from Buffy and Giles to rescue the coffee machine from Anya who was shouting at it for swallowing her change. Buffy's arm went round her Watcher, helping him to walk as he continued to sway liberally on his feet, but he did not protest. He was too busy trying to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other while keeping his eyes open. 


End file.
